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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Remember those Apple ads that cast the Mac as a 20-something, self-satisfied hipster while the PC was portrayed by an older, square-looking guy in a brown suit?
Well, those characterizations, unfair as they may be, appear to have some truth to them.
An unscientific survey by Hunch, a site that makes recommendations based on detailed user preferences, found that Mac users tend to be younger, more liberal, more fashion-conscious and more likely to live in cities than people who prefer PCs.

Of the 388,000 Hunch users who responded to a question about computer loyalty, 52% identified themselves as PC people as opposed to 25% who said they are Mac devotees. Hunch then cross-referenced those responses with answers to other questions to draw cultural distinctions between the rival Mac and PC camps.
The results suggest Mac users can be seen, depending on your perspective, as bolder and more creative -- or elitist and more pretentious.

The report found that 67% of Mac users have a college or advanced degree, as opposed to 54% of PC users. Mac loyalists are 80% more likely than PC users to be vegetarians, and, unlike PC fans, would rather ride a Vespa scooter than a Harley.

Mac users also are more likely to describe themselves as computer-savvy and "early adopters." PC users tend to describe themselves as better at math and less likely to throw frequent parties.
"I fit the typical Mac user on every count. Guess I'm not as unique as I thought. Depressing," wrote one commenter on Hunch's blog.

Since Hunch's first survey of Mac vs. PC users in November 2009, Apple has ridden the success of such high-profile products as the iPad and iPhone 4 to become the world's most highly valued tech company. Despite that hot streak, Hunch found that slightly more people in its new report -- 52%, up from 50% a year and a half ago -- now identify themselves as PC users.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

It seems that our sun could be a cosmic thief who most of the comet was stolen from another star, a new study indicated.

Comets are small icy bodies that light up when they near the sun as solar ice they were a bright tail to create to evaporate.

new computer simulations of billions of comets crisscrossing the solar system indicate that most of them originate outside our local area, but it grabbed and pulled by the gravity of our sun later.

Scenario unlike the old model for the evolution of comets, which holds that most of our local comets come from the same area where the sun and planets formed. This region, known as the Oort cloud surrounding the solar system and extends far beyond Pluto.

According to researchers it Levison, an astronomer at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, but "the standard model can not generate near the amount of comets we see."

"This model says that comets are the dregs of planet formation of our solar system and our planet's gravity boot them to a very great distance, fill the cloud," said Levison. Such a process tends to occur around other stars as well, with each giving rise to their own cloud of comet debris.

But the star may not have been at their initial cloud.

Like the other stars, the sun gave birth in the open star clusters are destroyed from time to time. The cluster usually contains between ten and a thousand stars jammed into a small space, an average radius is not much different from the Oort cloud today. Near the star in the group may have allowed the star to "steal" young comets from each other.

And the stars would not have been the greatest to the most successful thief. As the comet moves far enough away from the star and close enough to the sun, for example, can trap the sun's gravity, even if the parent star is much larger.

If it does not add

The distance of the Oort cloud from the ground makes it difficult to see - let alone pin down the exact number of comets contain. The number of comets that are derived from their observations of the comet, which lights when they passed near the sun.

But based on this data, Levison and his team said there was about 400000000000 comets floating just outside Pluto. For comparison, the conventional model predicts only 6 billion.

"This is ... a big difference," says Levison. "Too big to be explained by errors in the budget is not possible for us to much, so there must be something wrong with the model itself .."

Long period comet orbits that these findings appear to support. they are highly elliptical orbits take them far into the depths of space.

"So they could not have been born in orbit around the sun," says Levison. "They have now formed to other stars, and then here was hijacked."

Comets are generally considered a very good picture of the early solar system, because they spend most of their lives encased in ice. And if some comets come from outside our solar system, they can tell us about their parent stars, too.

"We have the orbits of comets can be studied and their chemical put in the context of and around their stars formed," says Levison. "It's exciting to think we have some" goods "we in the distant star us. Family."

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Barack Obama on Monday for a year or two percentage points while lowering the payroll tax, for 13 months during a period of two years, the Bush tax cuts and announced a deal with Republican leaders would extend unemployment benefits.

Both sides, the White House tried to reconciliation talks, including the Treasury Department and congressional leaders, including the provisions do not like each party, Obama Democratic leaders to discuss the proposed deal with reporters after a hastily arranged statement.

"It's not perfect," is Obama's 2009 students and their families, and businesses will continue to stimulate the bill contains tax relief for next year, whether you plan to eliminate all investments, he said. "We are looking for the American people to solve problems we can not play politics at a time."

Obama and resources set by the president, appointed by the president and Republican leaders say the federal deficit commission, the agreement now or in the coming years billions of dollars more than federal spending would add up to hundreds of low income must be controlled in federal debt.

Too many Democrats in Congress agreed to the demands of the Republican Party, said the deal with the first concern has been expressed.

"I'm not happy about it all. Commitment Before I kind of want to see all the details," said Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown CNN. Obama Republicans "moved" when asked, Mr Brown said: "I do not know that I crashed I thought he might have got a better deal .."

Houses, especially liberal Democrats, lame-duck session before the end of the rebel Congress to win approval for the plan would jeopardize the opportunity. With the Bush-era tax cuts expire at the end of the year, Obama's people to act now to continue to launch more important political struggle, he said.

"I'm ready to let us continue the struggle within his own party and other parties know that some people," Obama said. "I like you save the form back to us in a devastating recession, I do not want to miss."

Will extend the effective tax rates for everyone because Republican leaders voiced support for the plan first.

"I have shown that administration of a tax increase to prevent the Democrats in Congress show the same openness about the optimistic," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement.

However, retiring Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio said that because the federal debt would increase the agreement calls for. Over expenditure

Agreement for the 2009 economic stimulus package Obama low-income Americans tax relief, "make work pay" points instead of two per cent reduction in payroll taxes, including temporary. A government source familiar with the talks one-year reduction in payroll taxes of about $ 1,000 to $ 50,000 will bring savings, he said.

Republicans as a privilege, a legacy of more than $ 5,000,000 worth of property taxes for two years at 35% settings. This figure is higher than previous estimates and now is $ 3,500,000 or more for property taxes on real estate is a compromise between the positions of Democrats and Republicans, said a senior government official.

Family income up to $ 250,000 per year for Democratic House of Representatives approved the measure to extend the Bush era tax cuts, they are negotiating with the White House, Congressional Republicans are satisfied with the previous Monday.

A Democratic congressional source told CNN, "We're rubber and the White House (Senate Minority Leader) Mitch McConnell, will not be an agreement between the cap." "We want to clarify it Do not support underrated .."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-California, and D-Maryland, to discuss the proposed agreement at the White House with Obama and Biden were among the Democratic leaders who attended the meeting.

According to a senior Democratic source, Biden, Obama and Democrats in Congress said the proposed deal is the best that I can do is come to expect.

Houses of the Liberal Democrats, all from 2001 and 2003 tax cuts Congress to accept a deal believed to be the most reluctant.

The Senate blocked from consideration by the mischievous acts of the Republic House, tax rates, making more than $ 200,000 per year for individuals and families earning more than $ 250,000 will lead to increase the level of 1990. $ 1,000,000 more than the Senate Republicans in what has been blocking a proposal similar to the levels set a high income tax rates.

Obama is for wealth to increase the tax rate, let the Democratic Republic of the plan is an extension of the effective tax rate would ruin the show said no.

"Willing to give both sides, without this there is no reason to believe that the stalemate continued in the years ahead," Obama said. "Is this tax is in the Bush tax cuts because of arrangements made in 2003 on January 1, 2001 and continue until will. I do not want to let that happen to the American people will have a terrible prospect."

extended unemployment benefits and tax credits announced the deal during two years of the Bush era tax cuts for everyone, just to extend the deal to reporters after he briefed senior government officials. In particular, will benefit directly to the interests of workers in 2011 showed that payroll tax cuts.

One top administration official, said, "We would like the most attractive economy in 2011, important tax relief for working families feel that if there is a chance."

Top senators from both parties extended unemployment benefits for all people with the possibility of an agreement linking the extension of lower tax rates other Sunday. Congress to reduce the national debt will continue to work on long-term plan.

Democrats, but as a nation with the election campaign of 2008, Obama promised higher taxes than working-class Americans face the need to avoid the costs agreement to protect tax cuts for rich people can not afford hundreds of billions of extra dollars. Republicans, the economy remains too weak to ensure that no one believes that a tax increase.

Earlier Monday, Obama will be deducted from wealthy Americans, not fiscal responsibility, and reaffirmed this stance in the GOP with the extension of unemployment benefits should be part of any deal, said Democratic leaders argued.

"Middle-class tax increase, would be very difficult, because only family labor, and he's now our economy will be an obstacle to find a compromise here," Obama in Winston-Salem, North Carolina told the audience.

"We want him 100% what I want or what the Republic should ensure that even if there is a solution," he said.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

The mysterious U. S. Air Force's X-37B robotic spacecraft returned to Earth today (December 3) with a successful landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California before sunrise.Air Force officials praised the successful landing X-37B unmanned spacecraft, although its mission remains shrouded in secrecy because of its classified nature. But Vandenberg's 30th Space Wing is not shy of breaking pictures of X-37B vehicle called the Orbital Test Vehicle 1. Looking at the first pictures below:Nose to Nose: the space X-37B aircraft builder Boeing's released unmanned spacecraft just after landing on December 3, 2010.spacecraft spent 220 days in space before gliding to a landing early morning at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.Home Again: Although the nature of robots, spacecraft X-37B will receive a warm welcome from the crew at Vandenberg Air Force.Here, if the vehicle appeared to survive after landing procedure on 3 December at 01:16 PT (0916 GMT).Significant erosion, or changes in color can be seen on top of the thermal insulation blanket that spacecraft.X-37B in Profile: An Air Force photographer snapped a profile view of the X-37B landing shortly after his 3 December.X-37B is about 29 feet (9 meters) long and has a wingspan of more than 14 feet (4 meters) across. Standing over 9 1 / 2 feet (3 meters) tall and weighs 11,000 pounds (5,000 kg). For comparison: Two X-37B vehicle in rows on the back of the nose, could fit in the payload bay of NASA space shuttle. Boeing Phantom Works division in Seal Beach, Calif., the spacecraft.This graphic SPACE.com X 37B illustrate the features and functions of unmanned spacecraft.Up Close and Personal: A handler vehicle crews dressed in a suit to protect against hazardous materials (such as rocket fuel remaining) robotic spacecraft approaches the X-37B successfully landed after December 3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.Concept X-37B: This photo released by the Air Force, the spacecraft's nose mysterious X-37B as the recovery crew to take measurements and other readings to December 3 landed at Vandenberg. unique X-37B V-shaped "ruddervators" - which serves as a stabilizer tail - which looks and the air brakes deployed.Payload Bay Door: Here is the spacecraft X-37B is seen in profile as a post-landing the job ahead. Logo Boeing and the Air Force plane was visible in the stomach can be reused. They appear between the line that describes the payload bay of the X-37B, which is the size of pickup truck beds and can hold experiments, small satellites and the solar panel array that is used for power generation.Welcome Home: the space shuttle's cargo bay is the X-37B is clearly visible in side view, as the scale of the spacecraft relative to the humanX-37B began life in 1999 as a project of NASA, DARPA office and then transferred to the Pentagon in 2004. Air Force took over in 2006. The mission was launched on 22 April 2010. The purpose of the flight and the cost is classified.Looking Up: The view side of the X-37B was taken by a photographer Boeing publicly grooved runways at Vandenberg Air Force Base in which robotic spacecraft landed today. Force Vandenberg workers replace hundreds of small steel plates on runwary to do harm to the band X-37B to avoid during landing, according to the Santa Maria Times newspaper.Job well done: In the back of the first X-37B vehicle on Earth, the Air Force is now looking for the next launch. The Air Force ordered the construction of the two X-37B - the Orbital Test Vehicle 2 - for the mission to launch in spring 2011.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

The death toll from tsunami in the Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, increased to 31 people. While the victim missing to this day reached 166 people.

Manager Operations Control Center for Disaster Management (Ops Pusdal PB) West Sumatera, Ade Edward, say, until at 18:00 pm, the death toll reached 31 people. All the bodies have been found.

"In Muara Taikako, Sikakap increased two to five people were killed, in Silabu, North Pagai found one person dead, at Gobik, Bosuwa, South Sipora there are four people were killed and at Berilu, Bosuwa, South Sipora increased three to five people dead . While in New Muntai, Bulasat, South Pagai still four people killed and at Baleraksok, South Pagai, still 16 people who died, "said Ade to Tribunnews.com, Tuesday (26/10/2010).

In addition, as many as 166 people remain missing, 645 families are still displaced. The number of damaged buildings, namely 100 homes were severely damaged and is being. Victims seeking refuge among them, 150 households Sikakap residents, 150 residents Silabu, 45 KK residents Sinakok, South Pagai.

Planned. Vice President Boediono will visit victims of the tsunami and earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter Scale in West Sumatra. "Tomorrow, vice president plans to visit the Mentawai via Padang,"

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Scientists have discovered water ice on an asteroid for the second time, suggesting that it is more common on space rocks in our solar system than previously thought.

Two research teams have found evidence of water ice and organic molecules on the asteroid 65 Cybele, just six months after discovering the same stuff on a different space rock — asteroid 24 Themis — for the first time. The results suggest that asteroids may have delivered much of these essential materials for life to the early Earth, the researchers said.

"This discovery suggests that this region of our solar system contains more water ice than anticipated," said Humberto Campins, of the University of Central Florida, in a statement. "And it supports the theory that asteroids may have hit Earth and brought our planet its water and the building blocks for life to form and evolve here."

A very thin layer

The researchers analyzed the sunlight bouncing off 65 Cybele, which has a diameter of about 180 miles (290 kilometers) and circles the sun in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

The teams used two different NASA instruments: the Infrared Telescope Facility atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The telescopes picked up the telltale signatures of water ice and complex organic solids on the space rock's surface, researchers said.

They didn't find great sheets of ice — the asteroid's ice layer is probably less than one micron thick, Campins told reporters today (Oct. 8) during the 42nd annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society's Division for Planetary Sciences in Pasadena, Calif.

The ice layer is probably also very unstable, Campins said, so it has probably only coated the space rock for a few thousand years or so. The research team isn't sure where it came from, but one possibility is the asteroid's subsurface.

If the ice did indeed migrate up from 65 Cybele's interior, the water could be primordial, Campins said — leftovers from the early stages of our solar system's formation. But that's just speculation at this point.

"We have a detection, and we're starting to figure out what the physical characteristics and abundance of this ice are," Campins said.

Changing our view of asteroids

The discovery of water ice on 24 Themis — announced in April 2010 by the same two research teams — changed many scientists' perspectives on asteroids. [5 Reasons to Care About Asteroids]

Asteroid 24 Themis resides in the same region of the asteroid belt as 65 Cybele. Many scientists had thought asteroids in this part of the belt were too close to the sun to carry water ice.

These asteroids may have been ice-covered long ago during the solar system's youth, the thinking went, but their surface water should have evaporated by now.

Finding water ice on such space rocks now, 4.6 billion years after the solar system's birth, suggests that asteroids may have delivered much of the water that fills Earth's oceans — and perhaps some of the complex organic molecules that served as the building blocks of life here, scientists have said.

Filling the oceans?

Earth has experienced a violent history, having been bombarded by space rocks throughout much of its life. In particular, a large rock is thought to have crashed into Earth some 4.5 billion years ago, knocking off a giant chunk of material that eventually became our moon.

At that point, the collision would have heated things up so much that any water on Earth would have been vaporized. So, how did the oceans form?

Comets hold a great deal of water ice, but they are not ideal candidates for filling up Earth's early oceans. Comet water tends to be of a different nature — its atoms are in a different configuration — than most of the water on Earth, scientists have said.

The new results strengthen the case for asteroids as water-bearers for the early Earth. In the solar system's early days, asteroids likely slammed into Earth far more frequently than they do today, researchers have said. If many asteroids were even just a little icy, the Earth could have received quite a drenching, they added.

The discovery may also be a boon to NASA's new space exploration program, which is aiming to send astronauts to visit a near-Earth asteroid by 2025.

The research has been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.